


Even at my worst, I'm best with you

by graham_humberts_shoelace



Category: Once Upon a Time (TV)
Genre: Alternate universe- no curse/Enchanted Forest, Childbirth, Emma is Mary Margaret's adopted sister fyi, F/M, Neal's gonna be kinda whiny sorry Neal fans, Neal/Emma WERE dating but aren't anymore, Pregnancy, tfw you fall in love with your pregnant roommate and wind up helping raise her baby, the F.R.I.E.N.D.S au nobody asked for
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-07-04
Updated: 2020-07-04
Packaged: 2021-03-05 02:21:02
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,991
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25076785
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/graham_humberts_shoelace/pseuds/graham_humberts_shoelace
Summary: When David and Mary Margaret get married, Emma decides it's high time to move out so that the newlyweds can have some peace and quiet. So she moves in with Graham, her boss and David's best friend and ex-roommate. Things go great between them... until that stupid little plus sign on that stupid little pee stick changes things.
Relationships: Belle/Red Riding Hood | Ruby, Huntsman | Sheriff Graham/Emma Swan, Prince Charming | David Nolan/Snow White | Mary Margaret Blanchard, Snow White | Mary Margaret Blanchard & Emma Swan
Comments: 4
Kudos: 9





	Even at my worst, I'm best with you

"That the last of it?" David asks as he steps up into Emma's bedroom, hands on his hips as he looks over the empty room.

Emma looks up from taping up a final box, nodding her head. "Should be. Not like I had much to begin with anyway." she snorts, before blowing out a little sigh as she surveys her old bedroom. She'd never been much of a sentimental person, a rather stark contrast to her sister, Mary Margaret. Her sister had always enjoyed knick knacks and ornaments, Emma had never really seen the appeal. Perhaps that was just a leftover sentiment from her foster care days, before their father had adopted her.

"God, you and Graham will get along great then," he says, rolling his eyes playfully. "He never was one for keeping, what I believe he calls, 'clutter'." he takes the box from her, ignoring her protests. 

"Means we gotta dust less. We're just smarter than you two." she scoffs, following him down the stairs and looking around the ground floor of the loft. It would be odd, not waking up here anymore and hearing Mary Margaret's cheerful humming, or having their late night talks, or making themselves sick with the amount of hot chocolate and cinnamon they'd drink.

But... this is the right decision. Mary Margaret and David deserve their privacy, what with being newlyweds and all. And Emma doesn't want to put a damper on anything. So... moving out it is. It isn't going to be far, just a ten minute walk away, but it still feels like a huge change. 

Emma pushes a loose lock of hair behind her ear, leaning against the wooden column in the kitchen for a moment. Graham's apartment is smaller, not that she really minds, given that it will just be the two of them. Emma's lived in worse than a small apartment. To some, it might seem odd that she's moving in with her boss, but... honestly, it feels weirdly normal. Her and Graham being good friends helps significantly with that, she supposes.

"What are you thinking about?" Mary Margaret asks her, back inside from moving a box to the bug. 

"How much I'm gonna miss your baking." Emma grins, and Mary Margaret smiles fondly at her as she rolls her eyes.

"Like I'm not gonna be giving you and Graham some of my cooking. At least he had David at one point, but the both of you together? I'm almost afraid you'll starve." she teases, smirking at her sister.

Emma can't even bring herself to be all that offended. She knows Graham barely has the time to make a proper meal, and on her best days, Emma could burn water. "Such a thoughtful and considerate sister you are." she hums, resting her head on Mary Margaret's shoulder.

"Someone's gotta look after you, right?" she hums, pulling Emma into a hug. A minute or two of silence falls between them. "You heard from Neal lately?" Mary Margaret asks her, holding her at arms length and arching her brows.

A groan escapes the blonde. "No. I told you, we're done for good this time. It just... it was never gonna work out between us and we both finally realised that."

"I always thought you two would last." she sighs, and, quite frankly, Emma thinks she's more upset about it than she herself is. Mary Margaret had always been into the idea of soulmates and someone being right for you, and she'd been convinced Neal was it for Emma.

Looking back... god, she was wrong. "Yeah, well, that's life for you, sis." Emma shrugs, letting go of her. Truly, her and Neal's relationship not working out? Not a great loss. There'd been too many arguments, not enough communication and too much argument fuelled sex. Not the most healthy of dynamics.

"We're not talking about Neal again, are we?" David groans as he comes back inside, giving his wife a look. "C'mon, I thought we all agreed the guy was an asshole-"

"That's not true!" Mary Margaret defends, glancing at Emma as if David had offended her and she needed someone on her side.

Emma, instead, grins. "No, no. He's not wrong. Neal was definitely an asshole."

Mary Margaret relaxes, nodding her head. "...Yeah. Yeah, he kind of was."

"So! Now that we have that established-" Emma says cheerfully, slinging her arm around Mary Margaret's shoulders. "-I think it's about time I drive to Graham's and put my stuff away before he's finished with work. If I've still got stuff laying around once he's back he'll _insist_ he helps put it away-"

"How awful of him." comments David dryly, sharing an amused look with Mary Margaret.

"Yeah, it's a pain in my ass."

"You've got everything?" Mary Margaret asks her, wringing her hands a little in front of her chest, nervousness on her face.

Emma grins, nodding her head. "I do. And even if I didn't, I'm just ten minutes away, remember?"

"I know, I just worry. Emma, I've seen you burn _water_ -"

"Graham keeps a fire extinguisher in the kitchen cabinet below the sink. Even though he barely cooks." David chimes in, smiling at them. "So I think they'll be just fine. Maybe eating a little _too_ much take out, but fine."

"Nothing wrong with take out," Emma shrugs, removing her arm from her sister before glancing around the apartment. She can't see any of her stuff lying around and, even if she does miss something, as established, she only lives ten minutes away.

"See, you say that now, but when you're on your fifth takeout of the week..." David teases, and Mary Margaret lightly thumps his arm. "Oh c'mon, I'm sure they won't be that bad!"

"I'm making no such promise," Emma deadpans, grabbing her jacket from the back of one of the dining room chairs and pulling it on. "So..."

"So." Mary Margaret sighs, pulling her into another hug. "... _Please_ don't eat just take out."

"I won't," Emma laughs, hiding her face in her sister's shoulder for a moment. "...I'll be _sure_ to throw in some microwaveable meals." 

"Hilarious. Dinner over here at least once a week." she tells her firmly, pulling back and holding her at arms length.

"Yes ma'am." Emma rolls her eyes, sharing an amused look with David. "Now, seriously, I'd better get going or else I'll never leave."

Mary Margaret nods, letting go of her with a soft smile. "...make sure you-"

"Seriously, sis, I'll be fine. I'm an adult." yet another eye roll from Emma, considerably more fond than the last one though. "Besides, we'll see each other tomorrow for lunch anyway. Ruby's buying this time, I think." 

"She should be, it was my turn last week, yours before that..." Mary Margaret tuts lightly, a smirk on her lips.

Emma puts her hands in her pockets, nodding with a drawn out hum. "...seriously, I should really get going." 

"And yet you don't leave." David teases, smiling fondly at her playful glare. Mary Margaret lets out a little laugh, running her hand through her hair. 

"I'm going, I'm going!" she holds up her hands, snickering to herself as she makes her way to the door. She hesitates a little in the doorway, looking over her shoulder at her sister and her brother in law. "...See you tomorrow." she grins, and Mary Margaret gives her a nod... a slightly tearful looking one. _Good god, we're being over dramatic about this_ , she can't help but think as she closes the door behind her. But she's been living with Mary Margaret since the age of twelve, so she decides she can be a little emotional over this. Nausea rolls through her stomach at the thought of leaving- at least that's what she attributes it to anyway. She merely takes a few deep breaths to calm down the queasiness and make her way downstairs and to the bug.

* * *

Graham gets home around six, closing the door behind him and glancing around the living room and kitchen of his apartment. A few new knick-knacks, but otherwise it looks the same. Figures Emma isn't one to be too sentimental.

Speaking of, the blonde exits his guest bedroom- or her new bedroom, rather- and jumps a little at the sight of him. "Jesus, Graham!" she presses a hand to her chest, blowing out a loud sigh. "Forgot how quiet you are."

"Well," he grins, chucking his keys onto his console. "Better get used to it, _roomie_." 

Emma scrunches her nose up a little at the term. He feels inclined to agree with her. "It still feels weird. I haven't lived apart from Mary Margaret for over sixteen years." she rubs her neck, looking at him. "Which- I know I had to move out at some point, but it's still new."

"Hey... Emma, it's fine if you're feeling a little off about this at first. I felt the same when I moved in with David, except it was just a tad different thanks to the whole only child, absent parents and never living with anyone thing." he tells her brightly, toeing off his boots and hanging up his jacket.

It shouldn't please him so much to see her red leather jacket hanging beside his black one. But it does nonetheless.

"What, we comparing our childhoods now?" she teases, leaning against the back of the couch and crossing her arms. "We both know you'd win, so don't even get into it, buddy."

"Technically, I'd say you won on account of getting adopted by a loving father and growing up with a sister who adores you. I do, however, win in terms of parents who kicked me out the second I turned eighteen." he mimics her posture, except he's leaning against the kitchen bar counter. 

"Told you you'd win." she gives an over dramatic sigh, shaking her head at him. "...You eaten yet?" she asks, giving him a look that tells him not to lie.

Sometimes he'll skip the occasional meal, sure. But that's only when he's busy and has no time to eat. It's not as though he actively skips meals. But, today, he'd managed to grab a sandwich from Granny's on his way home. "I have. You know, I do eat more than you think I do."

"Oh really?" she asks, arching a brow. "Because I seem to recall that one day at the station where you demolished an entire box of doughnuts because you missed breakfast and lunch. Or how about the time-"

"Okay, so my habits aren't the greatest, sue me." he waves her off, a faint grin on his lips. Emma's lips quirk up a little at his smile, and she glances down at her feet for a moment, then back up at him. "I'm gonna guess you've-"

"Yeah." she hasn't eaten. She's been feeling out of sorts all day. The nerves of moving are getting to her a lot more than she thought they would. "You think Mary Margaret would've let me leave the apartment on an empty stomach? What rock have you been living under, Graham?"

"Point taken," he snorts lightly, pushing himself up away from the counter and moving to sit on the couch, turning on the TV. Emma plonks down on the opposite end of the couch, watching him scroll through his netflix account and stop on... she arches a brow at him, and Graham arches one right back. "It's soothing."

"It's chaos incarnate." she says, looking at the Great British Bake Off title screen, then back at him. But, she makes no move to change his mind on what to watch, she simply relaxes back into the couch and returns her eyes to the screen. 

Graham grins at that, pressing play and setting down the remote, undoing the top few buttons of his shirt and slumping into the couch cushions. He has a feeling this arrangement will work out perfectly fine for them in the end. 


End file.
